Beauty, ritual and restorative care rooted in intention.

Mercedes brings together experience in healthcare, professional cosmetology, Reiki, traditional healing influences, herbs and wellness-centered self-care. Her work is built around the belief that beauty and well-being are deeply connected, and that caring for yourself can be both practical and restorative. She approaches every client individually, creating space to slow down, reconnect and leave feeling more grounded, confident and cared for.

MERCEDES’S STORY

Mercedes has always been curious about the different ways people heal. Her professional background began in healthcare as a Medical Assistant, where she learned the importance of communication, safety, professionalism, patient care and helping people feel comfortable and supported.

Her interests eventually expanded into beauty, holistic wellness, traditional healing, herbs, energy work, spirituality and the relationship between body, mind and self-expression. She completed her cosmetology education at Bellus Academy, receiving professional training in haircutting, hair coloring, styling, scalp care, sanitation and salon practices before becoming a California Licensed Cosmetologist.

Her beauty experience includes wedding and special-event makeup, creative and fashion hair coloring, volunteer apprenticeship work in a local barbershop, mobile beauty and hair apprenticeship experience, and hair and beauty services for clients, friends, family and community members. She completed her Medical Assistant education at Brightwood College and later completed Usui and Tibetan Reiki Practitioner I & II training. She has practiced Reiki since March 2026.

Mercedes’s connection with traditional healing reaches further back. One of her earliest influences was her maternal grandfather, who served as a traditional healer in his village. Observing and learning about his work helped her develop an appreciation for intuition, community care and approaching the whole person. She brings approximately six years of personal study, cultural exposure and mentorship involving traditional healing practices to her wellness-centered work.

Mercedes believes healing is not necessarily linear. Sometimes people need knowledge. Sometimes they need rest. Sometimes they need ritual. Sometimes they simply need a safe environment in which to slow down. Difficult emotions, triggers and challenges do not necessarily disappear as a person grows; self-awareness and experience can change the way people respond to them.

An important part of her philosophy is duality: a person can be compassionate while maintaining boundaries, strong while still asking for support, and committed to growth while honoring where they are right now. Mercedes believes people possess their own strengths, gifts and capacity for growth. Her role is not to claim to heal people, but to create a supportive environment that encourages relaxation, introspection, self-care and reconnection.

HER APPROACH

Mercedes does not believe self-care or wellness should be one-size-fits-all. Her approach is intuitive, intentional, individualized, client-centered, grounded, collaborative and restorative. She meets clients where they are and adapts each experience to their needs and comfort level. Her goal is for every client to feel safe, grounded, seen, relaxed, cared for, confident, renewed and more connected with themselves.

AREAS OF FOCUS

• Reiki
• Intuitive Energy Work
• Energy Balancing
• Grounding and Relaxation
• Traditional Healing Influences
• Herbal Hair and Scalp Rituals
• Hair Wellness
• Professional Cosmetology
• Beauty and Self-Care

SERVICES WITH MERCEDES

• Reiki Healing Session
• Herbal Hair Spa Ritual
• Long Layered Haircut
• One-Length Haircut
• Gloss and Tone
• All-Over Hair Color
• All-Over Lightener and Tone

Mercedes’s Reiki and energy-work offerings are intended to support relaxation, grounding, self-care and general wellness as complementary practices. Her traditional influences are presented with cultural respect and are not licensed medical treatment.

PERSONAL TOUCH

Outside of work, Mercedes enjoys anime, Chinese dramas, trying new foods, cooking, spending time with her children, researching whatever topic has captured her curiosity, and quiet time for reflection and recharging.

“Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.” — Confucius